The invention relates to a dual switch system for common use by track guided rail and magnetic vehicles.
Track guided transport means include not only the classical rail vehicles such as trains and streetcars but also certain buses and the magnetic transit systems based on contactless magnetic technology, especially so-called magnetic levitation railways, which can be generally classed as magnetic vehicles. Since the latter heretofore have been guided on separate ways, usually supported on pillars, there is a need, particularly in the areas of cities and other traffic centers (e.g., railroad yards), but also in the area of bridges and tunnels, for dual track systems which can be used in common by rail vehicles and magnetic vehicles.
The principles of dual track systems of this kind are already known ("Magnetfahrtechnik" 6/86, Thyssen Henschel, under "Neue Verkehrstechnologien"). Their use, however, has been blocked by the fact that there are no dual switches which would make it possible for a rail car or magnetic car to pass through commonly used branches or to change over from the dual track system to a track on which only rail vehicles or only magnetic vehicles can operate.
There are substantially two reasons for the lack of such dual switches. On the one hand, magnetic vehicles are not guided on conventional Vignoles' rails or tramway rails, but on tracks provided with such functional components as guide rails, slide rails, stators or the like, and, for the avoidance of derailments, are so made that they hook around the inner side or the outer side of at least part of the track. This bars from dual-purpose applications the classical wheel-and-track switches equipped with switchpoints and frogs. On the other hand, the switches heretofore developed for magnetic vehicles are based on a design principle that is basically different from that of wheel-and-track systems. The known switches for magnetic vehicles consist of so-called "flex switches" ("Magnetfahrtechnik" 6/86, Thyssen Henschel, under "Neue Verkehrstechnologien") which consist essentially of a flexible track holder whose front end is fixedly joined to the arriving track and whose back end can be aligned with one or more branch tracks by resiliently bending the entire track holder. For dual use such flex switches are no more suitable than the switches that have switchpoints and frogs for rail vehicles.
The common use of track systems by different conveyance means is known, for example, in the case of track guided buses and street cars (Verkehr and Technik 1986, pp. 247-251). The tracks developed for these vehicles consist of at least one track for street cars and ways on both sides beside that track for buses. To change over from a common track system of this kind to ways used exclusively by one or the other type of vehicle, switches are used which have in the part associated with the streetcar the frogs and switchpoints associated with Vignoles' track or tramway track. In the part that serves for track-guided buses, these switches have, depending on the type of bus, vertically movable guide rails for guide rollers mounted on the exterior of the bus, or swiveling points for a guide roller situated in the center of the bus track. An analogous application of this principle to dual track systems for rail vehicles and magnetic vehicles, however, is not possible because of the great difference between the modes of guidance of track-guided buses and magnetic vehicles.
It is the aim of the invention to create a switch system permitting the selective transfer from a track traveled both by conventional wheel-and-rail vehicles and by conventional magnetic vehicles onto ways which can be traveled by only one of the two types of vehicles, and vice-versa, whereby any desired branching of ways used in common by rail vehicles and magnetic vehicles can be constructed.